Help to find a Fender type of Sound on a LG6...

[Tommy Slap]

Hi Colleagues,

I need some help seriusly... I have a very demanding client who needs to have the weight and definition that you obtain with a old Jazz bass 4 in the high positions of the freatboard but, in a Roscoe LG 6, it will be possible it?

Right now theses are my conclutions for this project:

LG 3006
Mahogany Body
Cocobolo Top w/ash accent between Top and body
Maple freatboard
Nords Big Singles / Slanted
Aguie OBP 3 or Bartolini 3 EQ?

I listen to your opinions!!!

Blessings,

Tommy

[VroomVroom]

Is this a live date or a recording session?

Either way, it's possible. The maple board may hurt a bit, but the mahogany body will help. Personally, I'd lean toward the Bartolini, but ultimately it'll come down to your plucking hand. I'd park as close to the bridge as you comfortably can, and maybe boost the lows and 600-800ish mids a wee bit. This is just the first shot across the bow, but see what it does for you.

Kind of funny - I had a session last weekend and on one tune my only marching orders were, "FENDER!" The wicked cool GrooveTubes pre/DI certainly helped a bit, but my SKB 3006 got straight-A grades from the engineer and the artist.

[RocketMusic]

Tommy - check out my personal Roscoe Century Sig V:



I asked them to install Joe Barden jazz bass pickups in the 60's pickup locations along with an Audere 4-band preamp. It turned out to be the baddest jazz bass on the planet, I still can't wipe the smile off my face when I play it. Keep in mind, though, that this does NOT sound like your typical Roscoe. It has more of a vintage vibe to it, pretty much the biggest, fattest Fender jazz tone you can imagine.

Joe Barden doesn't make a 6 string version of his j-bass pickup, but you could probably subtitute someone else's and get a similar effect. And this pickup configuration is not on the official menu at Roscoe, so you'd need to check w/ Gard to see what they can and can't (or will and won't) do.

Let me know if you have any questions at all about my bass, I'm happy to talk about it for days

[CrashClint]

This is the bass Adam and I worked on. Hey Poachmeister where are those pics?

Originally Posted by RocketMusic

Tommy - check out my personal Roscoe Century Sig V:



I asked them to install Joe Barden jazz bass pickups in the 60's pickup locations along with an Audere 4-band preamp. It turned out to be the baddest jazz bass on the planet, I still can't wipe the smile off my face when I play it. Keep in mind, though, that this does NOT sound like your typical Roscoe. It has more of a vintage vibe to it, pretty much the biggest, fattest Fender jazz tone you can imagine.

Joe Barden doesn't make a 6 string version of his j-bass pickup, but you could probably subtitute someone else's and get a similar effect. And this pickup configuration is not on the official menu at Roscoe, so you'd need to check w/ Gard to see what they can and can't (or will and won't) do.

Let me know if you have any questions at all about my bass, I'm happy to talk about it for days

[RocketMusic]

Yeah, I guess it really doesn't matter what Gard is willing to do. Ya'll will just chisel out whatever cavities are required

[Funkinthetrunk]

With the LG's slant pickups, it makes it harder to get the Jazz sound. You'd need more space between the pickups in order to get that "both pickups full on" Jazz bass sound. To combat this, on my SKB with slants, I got Nord dual coils, using the top coil on the neck and the bottom coil on the bridge and got a pretty convincing Jazz(ish) bass sound. The distance between those 2 coils are about 3.25 from eachother. I believe that on my old Fender JB the pickups are 4.00+- from eachother...in the 70s fashion. 60s are about 3.40?

Also, besides the spacing, the pickup placement need to be in that "magical" location, too. But, my SKB gets by....no one ever complained.

[CactusmanDoug]

Originally Posted by RocketMusic

Let me know if you have any questions at all about my bass, I'm happy to talk about it for days

Wow...this is phenomenal.

I was talking with another custom builder regarding the creation of a jazz bass 5er. The 4 string I've got has that great organic, vintage tone but the 5 string has become my permanent domain.

One of the things I'm getting spec'd is a neck that is identical in dimension with the Roscoe. It's like my hands have become formed to that shape over the past few years.

I don't know if Keith is interested in building more like yours or not but it might be worth asking. I was wondering how you might compare the Joe Bardens to the Jazz Barts (I've got Auderes in both my LG and SKB) as I've been thinking about a JazzBart/Demeter combo.

Man I'd REALLY like to play your bass!

All the best,

Doug

[Tommy Slap]

Thanks for all the opinions, very interesting!!! The Century V of Greg is wonderful... I want add my name to the testers list too...
A pity that Bardens does not offer his models for 6 strings... With Greg's commentaries I am now tempted to do a new Roscoe for my... It left Me thinking very much about it.

I believe that I will remain inclined by the Nords Big Singles but thanks to the commentaries of Funk.... already I do not think to use the slanted position... I believe that a good idea might be put the bridge PU in position 70´s and the neck PU in 6¨0´s, who think ...? That preamp recommend bearing in mind that is for a bassist who records every day commercial music?

Blessings,

Tommy

[RocketMusic]

Originally Posted by CactusmanDoug

I don't know if Keith is interested in building more like yours or not but it might be worth asking. I was wondering how you might compare the Joe Bardens to the Jazz Barts (I've got Auderes in both my LG and SKB) as I've been thinking about a JazzBart/Demeter combo.

Man I'd REALLY like to play your bass!

I don't want to go too far out on a limb (this is really Gard's domain), but I will say that they already have the templates created for the Barden 5-string PUPs... seems to me it'd be a shame to use those just the one time on my bass

The Barden pickups are phenomal, I like to say they have more of everything: more bass, more treble, more mids, more volume... they're thunderous, but they're also very articulate and clear. I love them paired with an Audere, but I'm sure they'd sound good with just about any preamp.

I was hoping to get a disk with some sound clips at my gig tonight, but the guy who mixes down our live recordings hadn't had a chance to mix down our last show. I'll post some clips soon, I swear!!

[chadds]

Classic Barts go a long way toward the JB sound. I was attracted to Roscoes in the first place because of that line "P-Bass that sounds like a Steinway".

When listening to some of my gig recordings I hear that real bigger than big P-bass sound. Of course that's in the middle of huge lows and smooth sweet highs the stock P can't do. I use the AG OPB-3 cause that take no prisoners MM tone, also an extension of Fender tone is there if I need it.

[Funkinthetrunk]

Originally Posted by CactusmanDoug

Wow...this is phenomenal.

I was talking with another custom builder regarding the creation of a jazz bass 5er. The 4 string I've got has that great organic, vintage tone but the 5 string has become my permanent domain.

One of the things I'm getting spec'd is a neck that is identical in dimension with the Roscoe. It's like my hands have become formed to that shape over the past few years.

I don't know if Keith is interested in building more like yours or not but it might be worth asking. I was wondering how you might compare the Joe Bardens to the Jazz Barts (I've got Auderes in both my LG and SKB) as I've been thinking about a JazzBart/Demeter combo.



All the best,

Doug

What's up Dougie Doug....long time no talk.

Originally Posted by CactusmanDoug

Man I'd REALLY like to play your bass!

Man I'd REALLY like to HAVE that bass! Or have a Roscoe with the Bardens J pickups also in the 70s location....slanted! I like my pickups slanted....gets outta my way while slapping and I dig the extra bite on the G string.

[CactusmanDoug]

Originally Posted by Funkinthetrunk

What's up Dougie Doug....long time no talk.

Funky Ger!!!

Git wiff da git down, brudda man!

All is well and trust you are too. Also starting to Jones pretty hard for a jazz 5er.

Good to read your stuff on the threads!

See ya round campus,

Doug

[VroomVroom]

Fellas, Gard can be my rabbi on this as he's heard the recordings. I just did a session with my SKB, and the engineer described the tone as, "Jazz bass, but only better." Far be it from me to avoid conversations of electronics and hot-rodding, but just keep in mind that a lot of this stuff is in your hands. If you need a Jazz bass tone, play that way. Obviously there are some basses that just won't offer it, but my suggestion is to tweak your plucking position and fiddle a bit with the EQ/blend before you tweak and fiddle with the electronics.

So, not trying to contradict my own self, here, but if you really, really, really have to get a Jazz bass sound, you should probably get a Jazz bass. If you need to get close, I'm willing to bet most Roscoes can get there...all the while being able to do what they ultimately do best...sound (and play) like a Roscoe.

[coyoteboy]

so, I'm wondering, if one kept the Roscoe Bart in the neck position and put a Classic in the bridge position, would something PJ-ish result, or would the output levels not jive well or something??

the whole > or < the sum of the Barts??

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

So, not trying to contradict my own self, here, but if you really, really, really have to get a Jazz bass sound, you should probably get a Jazz bass. If you need to get close, I'm willing to bet most Roscoes can get there...all the while being able to do what they ultimately do best...sound (and play) like a Roscoe.

I think you've hit the nail on the head here VroomVroom, espcially with this last bit, Most Roscoes should get close enough, but still do what a good Roscoe does best.

I'm finding I get more than close enough to a Jazz for my needs, by pulling out the mid freq. push/pull pot, rolling it off a little(which will cut high mids), less than half of the pots travel. Thats pretty much it, if the strings are old I might boost the treble to compensate.

[Gard]

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

Fellas, Gard can be my rabbi...

When did I convert to Judaism?

I didn't get the memo...







...yeah, those recordings are pretty damned impressive, and it isn't just the tone (which is in and of itself quite impressive).

Tonally, I believe a lot of what comes out is in the hands of the player. You can certainly get the sound to "lean" toward a certain tone with wood choices and electronics, but how you play has a great deal to do with the end result.

Back to the OP issue (hey Tommy!!!), I'd say that if you're looking for a 70's J tone, go with swamp ash for the body, use some CB pickups and an Aguilar 3-band preamp. If you're looking for a more 60's J tone, get an alder or Spanish cedar body, still the same electronics.

Going with the Nordstrand's will definitely help as well, but will cost a bit more and IMO are not NECESSARY for success.

Another trick: pickup placement - that can affect tone as much or more than the pickups themselves. However, we make no guarantees with changing placement, and it is not a feature that can be retrofit back to the standard placement....

[radmin]

I must hear this bass! Send clips.

I'd also like to get a vintage fender slap tone out of a Roscoe.
I tried Nordstrand big singles and it doesn't get there. The e and a strings pull it off but the higher up I go the more smith-ish it starts to sound. Still doesn't get the right pop sound.

Originally Posted by RocketMusic

Tommy - check out my personal Roscoe Century Sig V:



I asked them to install Joe Barden jazz bass pickups in the 60's pickup locations along with an Audere 4-band preamp. It turned out to be the baddest jazz bass on the planet, I still can't wipe the smile off my face when I play it. Keep in mind, though, that this does NOT sound like your typical Roscoe. It has more of a vintage vibe to it, pretty much the biggest, fattest Fender jazz tone you can imagine.

Joe Barden doesn't make a 6 string version of his j-bass pickup, but you could probably subtitute someone else's and get a similar effect. And this pickup configuration is not on the official menu at Roscoe, so you'd need to check w/ Gard to see what they can and can't (or will and won't) do.

Let me know if you have any questions at all about my bass, I'm happy to talk about it for days

[RocketMusic]

Try this clip on for size. There's an awful slap snippet right at the beginning. I was just goofing a little bit between tunes, but it shows the slap tone.

The rest is finger style on an intro to Stevie Wonder's "Boogie On Reggae Woman"...

[VroomVroom]

Nothing awful about it, Greg. Great tone on the slap stuff as well as the fingerstyle. And that groove....nothing short of wicked, my man. Nice!

[RocketMusic]

Thanks, Jerry! Yep, that tune is a fun one!